The capability to accurately determine the location of a cellular-enabled mobile device is well known. For example, triangulation, trilateration and other techniques of locating a mobile device in a wireless network are well known and frequently used for locating mobile devices. Most mobile devices today also have Global Positioning System (GPS) capabilities for location determinations. The determined location of the mobile device is frequently correlated to other data such as known store locations, event locations, roadways for traffic flow indications, and other information related to the determined location. The location information and correlated information can be used by entities to provide advertising, indicate alternative traffic routes, identify destinations that a user may be searching for, such as a gas station, a parking garage, a restaurant, a library and the like.
Also, Wi-Fi networks can be used both indoors and outdoors to determine a location of mobile device. For example, some service providers provide free Wi-Fi hotspots at different entities, such as coffee shops or fast food restaurants; and a mobile device can use a Wi-Fi hotspot at such a location to access a data network. The service provider can identify the mobile device, and the access point that the mobile device used to gain access to the network. Since the service provider knows the location of the access point, the service provider can also infer the location of the mobile device. In addition, as the mobile device is carried through an area, for example, a city, the mobile device may detect the Wi-Fi access points as it moves through the area. Identifiers, such as street addresses, of the access points may be forwarded by the mobile device via the cellular network to a service provider. Using the information obtained regarding nearby Wi-Fi access points as well as information obtained from the cellular network, the coarse location of a mobile device (e.g. at the corner of I street and 13th street) can be obtained and tracked with some precision.
However, when the mobile device enters an indoor venue, such as a shopping mall or large store, GPS may be unavailable and the cellular signals are often attenuated and not reliable. As a result, the precision of the location services decreases. Without implementing a sophisticated wireless access system, any Wi-Fi within the indoor venue is also of limited value in determining a specific location of the mobile device within the indoor venue. Also, often, a user must make the appropriate settings on their mobile device to join a Wi-Fi network. Furthermore, the Wi-Fi system may not obtain location information related to the mobile device, and may also not forward the location information to a service provider.
In addition, an application executing on a mobile device, such as a smartphone or tablet, is often used to assist in determining the location of the mobile device or is otherwise using the determined position of the mobile device to provide a service. The service may be a game, a concierge-type service, such as locating a restaurant, a shopping information service, such as a retailer website, local news or some other location-based service. When associated with a specific venue, the application also likely presents advertising related to features, such as retailers, kiosks, special events, discounts and the like, in the indoor venue.
Often times, the general location of the mobile device within the indoor venue can not be accurately determined with precision due to the unreliable signals provided to the cellular network. In other words, the location data collected through the existing cellular infrastructure does not offer the granularity and/or the accuracy required to be effectively utilized for providing targeted advertising or location services with respect to an indoor venue. Alternatively, the requirement to have an application executing on the mobile device requires a user to remember to launch the application or have the mobile device set to detect and use Wi-Fi whenever available. If a user chooses not to enable Wi-Fi on their mobile device, the application may be unable to provide the advertising or location-service information.
Furthermore, the obtained location information may not be associated with a specific subscriber of the mobile device. So even if location information is obtained based on the access points to which the mobile device connects, the location information only provides general information about the mobile device location and little or no information regarding the subscriber, or other user of the mobile device. As a result targeted advertising may not be effectively implemented and the effects of the advertising will be hard to quantify.
Hence a need exists for a system that provides accurate indoor location services as a mobile device user enters an indoor venue without the need of an application executing on the mobile device or otherwise require a particular setting on the mobile device to be set, and that associates the location of the mobile device with the mobile device subscriber.